Appalled at attitude towards NHS

I am writing in response to the letter "Care and service in the NHS is terrible", dated February 1. I am absolutely appalled at this person's attitude (no wonder their name was withheld).

I am a staff nurse at the PRH, and very proud to be so. In response to the patient leaving the ward, I can see how this would have happened, because a hospital is not a prison, and the doors are not locked.

I also know that the staff are extremely busy on the wards.

As for demanding more money, have nurses ever gone on strike?

We earn a fairly decent wage, but if you judge that against being responsible for people's lives, with reduced staffing levels, paying more than £100 per year for our registration, with increased expectations put on nursing staff all the time, surely it can be argued we earn our salary, if not more?

Has this person any idea what it is really like to try and save somebody's life, or to tell someone that their loved one has died, while having to take less able people to the toilet and tend to personal hygiene needs of others?

And all the time expected to bow and scrape to people like this, while feeling demoralised ourselves because of the insecurities currently surrounding the PRH?

Then there's dealing with day-to-day aggression and not enough beds for patients. And having to study hard in our spare time.

I think this person should be grateful for the NHS, because once it's gone, it's gone for good.

I would also like to take this opportunity to applaud the dedicated, demoralised, hard working staff at the PRH.

Staff nurse, Telford